Transportation Funding for Bicycling: an Economic No-Brainer?

Even the most die-hard supporter of our current personal transportation infrastructure (essentially, roads and bridges designed for cars) will likely admit that bicycling (and walking) has some fundamental benefits: a very low environmental footprint, a lot of saved money for those using bikes for at least some of their transportation (though just how much savings is a matter of some debate), better health for riders, etc.

Ask those same people if they think government, whether at the federal, state, or local level, should pay for infrastructure to make biking safer and more convenient, and you probably won’t see the same level of agreement… they may well concur with some state and federal legislators that such spending is ripe for the chopping block.

Spending for bike infrastructure is cheap: “…the entire price tag for more than 3,000 federally funded bike and pedestrian projects across 50 states last year amounted to less than half the cost of one highly contested highway project in Maryland that opened this spring.”

It’s effective: “The number of biking and walking trips made by Americans increased 60 percent during the last decade.”

It’s historically been supported by both parties: Funding aimed specifically at bicycling projects first entered the federal budget under President George H.W. Bush, and continued under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush.

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So… I should send this article to my congressman? Couldn’t agree more, and I think a 60% increase is amazing.. I like cities full of cyclists. Amsterdam is like that- so many bikes! They have a different pace, it’s quiet and smells fresh.

Sounds like a plan, Stephanie… I think these are really impressive numbers, too. Might want to also send it to your state legislator/senator… cuts being made at that level, too. Thanks so much for chiming in…

This is a great article! I totally agree, biking is so great for everything! My friends and I just bought some cruisers from villycustoms.com and we love riding them around everywhere, I just wish the roads and places would be more bike friendly.

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